Headlight indicator



Jan. 20, 1942. HAL; 2,270,587

HEADLIGHT INDICATOR Filed Sept. 14, 1938 0.50m @A mam) $752 2? ga'w/fimwf m.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 20, 1942- UNITED STATE A T I I n uzfizgiehes v I Y CecilGaylord Hall, Jackson, Mich. g H Application September 14, 1933, Serialn 229,921 7 I I -'1 Claim. (01.111411 This invention relates to animproved vehicle 7 head light indicator and arrangement thereof on avehicle. 7 a

More particularly, the invention pertains to a device of this kind forindicating whether the bright or dim filaments of a vehicle head lightsystem are in operation.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is disposed in the normal forward view of the driver ofthe vehicle.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of an indicator of thischaracter which can be conveniently observed by the driver of thevehicle without requiring him to divert his attention from the road orthe course in which he is about to proceed.

' A further object of the invention is the provision in a radiatorshell. ornament of the type which are conventionally used on vehicles ofa compartment for accommodating an electric light bulb and which has anopening atthe rear extremity of the ornament directed toward thewindshield and driver compartment of the vehicle.

Additional objects of the invention are the provision of head lightcondition indicating means in a radiatorshell ornament which in no waydistracts from the attractiveness or sightliparent window of lens shapeconstruction which may be relied upon to predetermine the color of thelight projected therefrom and which generally conforms in contour to thecontour of the portion of the ornament on which it is disposed; toprovide an indicating light bulb and ornament assembly in which thelight bulb and its socket may be supported on that portion of thevehicle with which the ornament normally registers; and to provide in anornament of this character communicating vertically and horizontallyextending passage sections, one for accommodating insertion of anindicating light bulb into the body portion of the ornament and theother for accommodating projection of light rays rearwardly and in adirection of the windshield and driver of the vehicle.

vehicle radiator shell structure having an ornament thereon, shownpartly in section, and with which isassociated an indicating light bulbof an indicating system embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical sectional view takenon-the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing is illustrated an embodiment of my invention in a vehiclegenerally designated by the numeral III which includes forwardly pro--truding hood portion II having a radiator shell portion I2 on which ismounted a radiator shell ornament I3. The ornament I3, may comprise anydesired configuration and preferably has a rearwardly extending bodyportion ll of substantial'cross sectional dimensions in which is formed'a'vertically extending passage section I! and a communicatingrearwardly extending horizontal passage section IS. The vertical passagesection I5 extendsthrough the bottom surface of the portion ll of theornament and the hori zontal passage section I6 extends through the rearextremity of the body portion I4 and is ,directed toward the windshieldand driver of the vehicle. A'transparent plug I1 is fitted in the rearend of the horizontal passage section 18 and is preferably provided withan external contour which conforms to the general curvature or contourof the rear extremity of the ornament. This transparent plug maycomprise material of any desired color in order to render it clearlyconspicuous to the driver of the vehicle.

The front end of the ornament l3 may be detachably secured to theradiator shell structure I2 by a bolt I8 extending through an apertureformed in the latter and threaded in a registering aperture provided inthe front end of the ornament. The rear end portion of the omament ispreferably secured to the radiator shell structure I2 by a pair ofscrews I9 which extend through aperturesformed in the shell structure I2and are threaded in apertures .20 formed in the rear end portion oftheornament. The screws I9 also serve to secure to the ornament andshell structure an electric light bulb socket An illustrative embodimentof the invention is Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view ofa 55 2|having a flange 22 disposed adjacent the internal side of the shellstructure I2 and provided with apertures through which the screws I9extend. The socket 2| is of conventional construction preferablyidentical to the sockets of the type used in grounded wire light systemsof the type commonly employed in vehicles and is adapted to detachablyreceive an indicating light bulb 23.

The head light system in which the improved indicating device isembodiedmay include separate light bulbs 24 and 25 having bright and dimfilaments 26 and 21 therein respectively, or the bright and dimfilaments 28 and 21 may be embodied in a single light bulb if desired.The bright and dim lighting eiiect may result from long and short rangelight beam projections respectively from sources of substantially equallight intensity. In the form shown, the bright filament '28 has oneterminal grounded and another terminal electrically connected in acircuit comprising a conductor ll which is connected to a terminal 29 ofa switch ll. The dim filament 21 has one terminal grounded and the otherterminal electrically connected to a terminal 32 of the switch ll by aconductor 3!. Theswitch 30 has a middle terminal ll connected by aconductor 38 with one terminal of a light control switch it mounted onthe instrument board 35 of the vehicle and the latter switch has anotherterminal which is electrically connected with the vehicle generator 38by a conductor 31 which is also electrically connected by a conductor 38with the car battery 39.

The switch III is adapted to connect the terminal 30' and conductor 33leading from the generator 3| and battery 3! through the main switch 34with either the circuit 01' the dim filament 21 or the circuit of thebright filament 28, the switch 30 being of the push button type whichalternatively closes the circuits of the bright and dim filamentsrespectively upon successive operations thereof.

The indicator light bulb a has a filament I! provided with one terminalwhich is grounded through the casingof the socket 2i and anotherterminal which is electrically connected by a conductor 4! with theconductor 20 of the bright filament circuit. Thus, when the brightfilament circuit is closed by the switch 30, the circuit is alsocompleted through the filament 40 of the indicator bulb 23 to indicatethat the bright filaments oi the vehicle head lights are operating. Ifdesired, the indicating light bulb 23 may be electrically connected ineither the bright or dim filament circuits for disclosing correspondingshape and arrangement of parts may be made.

light system are energized, the indicating bulb 23 emits a light havinga color predetermined by the plug l1 rearwardly and in the forwardviewof the driver of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle thereforemay observe the indicating light to ascertain whether the bright or dimbulbs are energized without distracting his attention from the road orchanging his line of vision from a straight forward one. The transparentplug ll may be so constructed-as to diiluse the light and modulate itscolor intensity so as not to have a blinding or confusing eifect uponthe driver. While the drawing shows the wiring circuit for a single headlight, it is obvious that the filaments of the other head light of thevehicle may be connected in parallel with the filaments II and 21.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that various changes in the size,

Xithout departing from the spirit of the inven- What is claimed is:

A device for producing a predetermined indication including a vehicleradiator shell ornament having an L shaped passage in its rear endportion comprising a passage section extending and opening rearwardly inthe forward view of the driver of said vehicle and a communicatingpassage section opening downwardly said passage being closed at thejunction of said passage sections for obstructing forward projection oflight therefrom, means on said ornament for attaching the latter to asupport, a light unit including a light bulb and socket thereforextending into said downwardly opening passage section for emittinglight in the direction of said driver, means for mounting said lightunit on said support and centrally of said downwardly opening passagesection, and a transparent light emitting closure in the opening of saidrearwardly extending passage section for directing light toward saiddriver, the projection of light from said bulb in all other directionsbeing obstructed by the walls of said passage.

CECIL GAYLORD HALL.

